


The Best You Give Me

by Baekbitficfest



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Domestic, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 20:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10929345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baekbitficfest/pseuds/Baekbitficfest
Summary: Baekhyun's been visiting the pet store on a weekly basis for almost a month now. All his friends keep wondering why he keeps going when he doesn't even own a pet. Obviously they haven't seen the cute guy that works there.Written by d_earhistory (http://d-earhistory.livejournal.com/)





	The Best You Give Me

**Author's Note:**

> Be sure to leave some lovely comments for the writer!
> 
> Thanks for reading <3

_**Prompt #** : 21_

_**Pairing** : Baekhyun/Chanyeol_

_**Rating** : PG-13_

_**Summary:** Baekhyun's been visiting the pet store on a weekly basis for almost a month now. All his friends keep wondering why he keeps going when he doesn't even own a pet. _Obviously _they haven't seen the cute guy that works there._

_**Word Count:** 3.1k~_

_**Warnings** : None._

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to the mods for hosting this wonderful fest and being so understanding and patient. To the prompter, I hope I haven't failed your expectations.Enjoy!_

 

It is early in the morning when Kyungsoo catches a glimpse of a beaming Baekhyun heading out of the kitchen. Not that he is  _ that _ surprised, but he just doesn’t know where his roommate is going like this every morning, for a month now. He always notices the changes on his faces every time he’s looking at himself on the mirror, just minutes prior leaving the flat, or when he’s pondering over which shirt wearing. When Kyungsoo has asked his boyfriend, who’s also Baekhyun’s friend, about his behaviour, all he could tell was that Baekhyun was going through an existentialist’s phase. As  _ if _ .

 

Anyways, despite being serious, Kyungsoo keeps on glancing at his roommate – and best friend – but never invade his privacy. He’s curious, really, but he can’t push himself to ask what Byun is into lately. Maybe it’s nothing strange. And like every day, it’s Baekhyun who comes to him, gives him his peck on the cheek and flies away from the apartment. It’s only then that Kyungsoo wonders, what if Baekhyun has a new job?

 

That is something completely farfetched when we know who Byun Baekhyun is. Whilst he’s leaving the apartment, strolling in the streets, the little guy knows well where he’s heading, and why he’s going there. It’s not that he’s ashamed of telling his friends why he’s visiting the pet store on a weekly basis – sometimes every day when he has nothing else to do – but he knows that they would make fun of him. He loves pets, don’t get him wrong, but, surely, he rather not be around them all the time. But, maybe, yeah maybe, going to that pet store – or more like, being mesmerized by the guy working there – is a reason to change his mind. Only idiots don’t change, right? Well, that, Baekhyun is not. 

 

Though he knows Kyungsoo is growing suspicious lately, he also knows he will not ask him about his peculiar habits. Well, Baekhyun doesn’t want to appear too eager, or too smitten – which is not the case, seriously – by something that isn’t that much of a big deal. Visiting a pet store is not that strange, isn’t it? This is how Baekhyun approaches people he likes. And he still remembers how Kyungsoo and him became friends – even now, he can’t understand how Kyungsoo never hit him back then. Sure, pretending to be someone’s boyfriend so that he could go into a nightclub wasn’t his best idea, but, to everyone’s surprise, Kyungsoo didn’t deny and he slipped inside the club without much problems. Well, that was until Sehun came along and spotted them. Baekhyun was still hugging Kyungsoo like his life depended on him, and glanced at a surprised Sehun who was questioning what was going on. 

 

He remembers making fun of himself that day, and the three of them brushing off that topic after that. Baekhyun was – is – so easy going, that almost nobody can keep a grudge on him. And as he steps into the pet store, he feels his heart pounding in his chest, constricted and yet still beating so hard. He doesn’t spot the cute guy – whose name is Chanyeol – near the cash register and feels himself disappointed. What if he missed him and he already left? A surge of panic runs through his veins and he quickens his pace as he walks along the cats’ alley. Only to be stopped by a tall figure bent onto one of the cage. Baekhyun feels like petrified and doesn’t know where to hide. Behind the parrots? Beside the fishes? 

 

He doesn’t get a chance to move, for Chanyeol is already spinning around and notices him. Immediately, a smile spreads across his face and blinds Baekhyun. How can someone be so beautiful and yet not knowing it? He wants to run away, and stay there at the same time. So, he just fidgets with his fingers and blushes –  _ hard _ . Damn him and his perfect smile.

 

“Hey!” Chanyeol says, smiling. 

 

“H-Hi.” Baekhyun can’t prevent the stutter, and hates himself for that.

 

“Still visiting?” The taller continues a hand on his hips. 

 

_ Shit _ , Baekhyun curses instantly. He noticed. He feels his cheeks reddening even more and coughs to hide his embarrassment. 

 

“Yeah, I’m still looking for the good one.”

 

“Oh, I see. Maybe, I could give you a little help?”

 

Instantly, Baekhyun feels a sudden rush of heat running down his spine, but he seems unable to explain why he feels that way. He desperately wants Chanyeol to help him, but how voicing it out? Will he sound like a creep? Plus, Baekhyun has never thought of adopting any pet before. It’s just that… Well, Chanyeol  _ is _ the reason why he keeps visiting. And now that he’s in front of him, that he has to confront him, he feels all of a sudden dizzy. Or is he being overdramatic? 

 

Taking a deep breath, he just musters his best smile and beams at the taller, indicating with his finger the cat’s aisle. Chanyeol seems confused, for he arched a brow, but proceeds over there anyway. 

 

And Baekhyun regrets immediately entering the bloody aisle the moment he drops a foot on there. He barely has the time to take a sniff of the place that he starts sneezing. He scratches his nose, and inhales once again. Wrong move. There he sneezes again. And again, and again. Until Chanyeol seems to get the hint and get a hold of his shoulder and hauls him somewhere else.

 

Baekhyun seems grateful the moment they land on the fish aisle as he feels his nose look better and the sneezes seem to have diminished. 

 

“Are you okay?” Chanyeol asks, a look of worry etched to his face. Baekhyun smiles and nods.

 

“Yeah, much better.”

 

“Didn’t know you were allergic…”

 

“Me either…” They both chuckle but Baekhyun seems way too much self-conscious and Chanyeol’s gaze on him doesn’t make it any lessen. 

 

“Huh… Do you… maybe, have something else?”

 

Chanyeol snaps out of his reverie and nods, pointing at another aisle, the one with birds. Perhaps he assumes Baekhyun isn’t really fond of fishes since they don’t stop there nor do they talk about any species. 

 

Baekhyun doesn’t really pay any attention to that. He always takes his time admiring Chanyeol’s features every time the other is engrossed in his explanation, talking about how fantastic it would be to give those little friends a family where they could grow up and be loved. Baekhyun only wants one thing, Chanyeol to be that little friend he would take home and take care of. But, well, that isn’t in the store, he guesses. 

 

Clearing his throat, Baekhyun gives a nod here and there when Chanyeol seems to wait for a reaction, but the former can’t grasp a single idea of what he’s saying for he’s mesmerized by his smile. Does he realize how much of an effect he has on him? Probably not. Sighing, Baekhyun catches a glimpse of his watch as his eyes grow bigger.

 

“Oh f-“ He almost curses before stopping himself from doing so. “I’m late, I need to leave.”

 

Chanyeol deflates at that but instantly shows a piece of his beautiful teeth in the goofiest smile he has in store. But also the warmest the smile. A smile that never fails to enlighten the rest of Baekhyun’s day. The mirror of his smile spreads across Baekhyun’s face as he turns around and scurries away. Well, not really. He leaves as slowly as possible, his legs as though stuck to the ground.

 

“I hope to see you again! I still have another aisle to show you!” Chanyeol says before Baekhyun disappears.

 

And outside he goes, not turning back. Baekhyun hates these moments the most, when he has to leave Chanyeol, when he can’t spend the rest of the day by his side, just at watching him – admiring even. But he still has to go to work and earn some money, or else, Kyungsoo is going to rip his head off. Or so he says. But Baekhyun knows the younger loves him way more to do such a thing, he would miss him. 

 

Humming a popular song as he strolls over on the streets, his eyes fleeting here and there, not really caring about where he’s watching, Baekhyun recalls the last events and a visible patch of red starts spreading across his cheeks. Chanyeol talked to him. He has found the courage to respond, and almost hasn’t sputtered. Like, really, he did it! As he opens the entrance door of the bakery where he’s working, a smile is still etched to his face and as his boss doesn’t seem really pleased to see – late, again – Baekhyun hurries up and goes to the storage where he still has to wash his hands. 

 

“Hey, Baek! Late again? Where have you been?” Jongin asks, one of his co-workers. 

 

Baekhyun turns around to smile at him and shrugs, like nothing happened.

 

“Traffic.” He eludes. But Jongin doesn’t buy it for he raises a brow.

 

“You don’t even have your driving licence.” He deadpans. 

 

“And what? People are really slow at walking you know. Streets are what they used to be.”

 

Jongin doesn’t push any further but he knows better. And Baekhyun… Well, Baekhyun still has his smirk etched to his face as he put his apron on and starts washing his hands. Once finished, he grabs all the necessary items and is about to begin when another hand squeezes his shoulder.

 

“Sixth times you’ve been running late, Baek, what’s going on with you lately?”

 

Jongdae. His boss. And one of his closest friends. Baekhyun doesn’t say anything, pretending to be focused on his own task. But Jongdae knows better and slaps him playfully on the back.

 

“Baek,” Jongdae warns.

 

“Daaae!” Baekhyun whines. “I’m okay, don’t worry.”

 

“I wasn’t worried.” The other denies and just scurries out without much of a word, which doesn’t fail to make Jongin laugh in the background. 

 

“Oh, shut up,” Baekhyun grumbles. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The rest of the day is spent like this, him baking and not really talking much. His mind is focused on only one thing, and it has nothing to do with all the croissants and ‘pains au chocolat’ he’s putting in the oven. Sometimes, Jongin catches him smiling to himself and wonders what’s gotten into his friends’ mind, without much of an answer. It’s not like Baekhyun was the biggest talker in the town. Unlike what most of the people would think about him, Baekhyun is loud, <i>yes</i>, but never does he spill any personal topic. And that’s something he made crystal clear from the beginning.

 

When he makes his way home, Jongin following suit, though the older thought he would wait for Jongdae, Baekhyun doesn’t seem really contented with the fact he’s not alone. He thought he could go see if Chanyeol was still working, but with Jongin being with him… He can’t let anyone know. They’d make fun of him. More, they would go as far as going to Chanyeol himself and tell him about his crush. It’s just. Too soon. 

 

When he arrives at his own flat, biding Jongin goodbye, he meanders his way to his room but halts into his track whilst noticing the two silhouettes sitting on the couch, talking.

 

“Sehun, huh?”

 

“Glad to see you too, Baek,” The taller says, a mischievous smile etched to his face.

 

“How was your day at work?” Kyungsoo chimes in, shushing his boyfriend. 

 

“Fine.” Baekhyun shrugs and resumes his walking to his room.

 

He hops into the bathroom and takes a shower, glancing from time to time at his watch, since he has to go to the pet store before Chanyeol’s shift ends. Escaping his room, cleaned up and wearing new clothes, he doesn’t understand when Kyungsoo and Sehun raises to their feet too, walking up to him.

 

“Wow, that’s a first, Baek! You’re ready?”

 

Baekhyun frowns. Kyungsoo sighs. 

 

“You forgot?”

 

“What?” is all Baekhyun can say. 

 

“Cinema? With us and Yixing?” Baekhyun has to blink twice before it registers itself into his mind. What.

 

“Oh god! It slipped my mind, I’m sorry….”

 

“Where were you heading at?” Kyungsoo asks, raising a sceptical brow. Baekhyun gulps.

 

“Jongin’s place. And he’s waiting, sooooo…”

 

And without waiting for another question to pop out, Baekhyun exits as fast as possible, not glancing back not even once. He’s running late and still has to catch Chanyeol before he leaves.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Runs as fast as he can, he still misses him. Or so, he thinks. But then, as he meanders through the different alleys, a giant comes out of one of them, holding a ball of furr inside his arms. Baekhyun has never been really fond of animals, or so he says to everybody. But truth is, he totally loves them. Gnawing at his lips, he approaches the tall figure and smiles faintly. Chanyeol doesn’t spot him – too focused on the little friend he’s holding – until Baekhyun is a meter away from him.

 

Raising his head, his eyes widen before a smile spreads across his face, illuminating his face. That has Baekhyun’s heart going wild, thumping so hard against his ribs he thinks he might die soon. Why does he have to do this? Why, why, <i>why</i>?

 

“Hey! You’re back!”

 

Baekhyun scratches the back of his head, feeling uneasy instantly. “Yeah…”

 

“I think I’ve found something that you may like.”

 

A smile still etched to his face, he starts towards the dogs’ alley and Baekhyun follows him until he stops instantly upon seeing what he’s shown to. He blinks several times and opens his mouth, before closing it without saying anything. 

 

Watching all the dogs, some of them even start barking at his sight. All colours mix, big, small. He didn’t know until know dogs were so… lovable. But catches his sight is the one in the farthest corner, looking at him expectantly. Or so it’s what he thinks, but can dogs communicate that much?

 

“I already loves you,” Chanyeol’s voice bounces behind him. 

 

Baekhyun turns around, turning his back to the little pup he can’t afford himself to buy… Or, can he? Gnawing at his lip, he glances at the little friend Chanyeol is holding and raises a brow. 

 

“Aren’t you afraid for the cat?” Baekhyun asks all of a sudden. He leans in, dramatically whispering. “They’re enemies… you know.”

 

Chanyeol barks out a laugh and just meanders his way out of the alley, rolling his eyes.

 

“You’re so cute, I swear.”

 

Suddenly self-conscious, he feels himself blushing but doesn’t reply anything back. Him? Cute? For real? He can’t be for real. 

 

Licking his lips, he stops by the cats’ alley and remembers too late about his allergy. Oh fuck.

Sneezing, he turns back out of the alley and pinches his own nose, avoiding any smell. Gosh, why does it have to happen to him at that very moment? However, Chanyeol doesn’t seem to mind, returning the little kitten into his cage before coming to Baekhyun.

 

“Are you okay?” Concerns swirls inside his orbs and something melts inside Baekhyun’s chest. 

 

“Yeah… Do you… Hum… Have plans for tonight, maybe?”

 

That’s a bold move, Baekhyun tells himself. But Chanyeol seems pleased if the smile stretching across his face is any indication.

 

“I’m pretty much free if that’s what you want to know.”

 

“Oh… Uh… Cool.”

 

Yeah, cool. That’s all Baekhyun can utter. 

 

“I’ll just change… and we can go anywhere you want.”

 

Baekhyun pretends not to understand any other meaning to his sentence and just nods curtly. He goes back to the front where he settles to wait for him. A move that he regrets the moment Kyungsoo makes his appearance, a frown etched to his face.

 

“Baekhyun?” He asks, but doesn’t seem as surprised as he should be. Does his roommate follow him?

 

“Soo… What’s up?”

 

Sehun chooses that moment to step in too, which Baekhyun isn’t thankful for, <i>at all</i>. Glowering at his friends – or so, he tries – he feels tiny all of a sudden. Why, of all days, it has to be <i>that</i> day? 

 

“Baekhyun, why did you leave? And why do you keep coming here, uh?”

 

“… I’m ready!” 

 

It’s Chanyeol. And Baekhyun has never wished for the ground to swallow him this hard before. Without acknowledging Kyungsoo’s words, Baekhyun slowly turns around and tries for a smile as he looks up at Chanyeol. And regrets it instantly. Why is he even more beautiful? He feels like suffocating. But controls himself, not in front of Kyungsoo. 

 

“What the fuck, Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo asks, disbelief written all over his face. 

 

“That’s not what you think, just… I…”

 

“So, what we shared meant nothing to you?” Chanyeol cuts in, a frown etched to his face. What the actual fuck. Baekhyun thinks as he whirls around, pinning the taller with a dark stare. 

 

The silence befalling them is heavy. And everything seems tensed all of a sudden. But then a laugh cuts all the tension and three heads turn around to watch at the tallest of them, chuckling, visibly having fun here. 

 

“Sorry but you should’ve seen your face… So funny. Really, though… That was so funny!”

 

Baekhyun gulps and really wishes for the ground to swallow him.

 

“Anyways, I’m just working in here and I was giving some advice to Baekhyun here.”

 

Kyungsoo glances from Chanyeol to Baekhyun, during a long time, scrutinizing. Before sighing. 

 

“And that’s what took you all this time? Advices? And since when are you planning to adopt a pet?”

 

Baekhyun shrugs.

 

“It’s never too late.”

 

“Baekhyun has actually already a fan… The little corgi, over there.”

 

Baekhyun perks up at that and turns around only to be greeted by the dog who caught his attention moments prior. And indeed, the dog is watching him, blinking those cute eyes up at him. 

 

“Awww…” 

 

Sehun only chuckles and drapes an arm over Kyungsoo’s shoulders, not emitting any comment about the situation. 

 

“We should leave, the movie is starting in a few minutes.”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“What movie?” Chanyeol asks, even though he hasn’t been talked to.

 

“Guardians of Galaxy 2.” 

 

It’s like a Christmas tree illuminating. Chanyeol’s eyes start glowing at the sole mention of the movie and Baekhyun has no other choice than to give in.

 

Later that night, the four of them go watch the movie and Baekhyun has never smiled that much in a while. And it sure is not because of the cute guy working at the pet store. Not at all.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


What is his fault, though, is the corgi Baekhyun decides to buy two weeks later. He claims he’s been obliged. (But, really, he loves it)


End file.
